MIRANDA GOSHAWK

Property of Hogwarts School Library

Name Due Date

A warning: If you rip, tear, shred, bend, fold, deface,

disfigure, smear, smudge, throw, drop, or in any other
manner damage, mistreat, or show lack of respect
towards this book, the consequences will be as awful as
it is within my power to make them.

Irma Pince, Hogwarts Librarian

MIRANDA GOSHAWK
 CONTENTS
Foreword vii

CHAPTER 1
Levitation Charm 1
Water-Making Spell 5
Unlocking Charm 6
Wand-Lighting Charm 10
Conundrum 1 12

CHAPTER 2
Fire-Making Spell 15
Bird-Conjuring Charm 18
Revealing Charm 20
Engorgement & Shrinking Charms 23
Conundrum 2 25

CHAPTER 3
Gouging Spell 27
Doubling Charm 29
Mending Charm 30
Scouring Charm 34
Bat-Bogey Hex 36
Shield Charm 37
Conundrum 3 41

v
CHAPTER 4
Summoning Charm 43
Severing Charm 48
Impediment Jinx 52
Hardening Charm 53
Conundrum 4 54

CHAPTER 5
Disarming Charm 57
Reductor Curse 61
Stunning Spell 63
Patronus Charm 64
Conundrum 5 69

Afterword 71

vi
 FOREWORD

I was born into a poor family, the last of nine

sisters. When I was a youngster, there was no basic
spellbook to give a beginner witch like myself the
clear and simple instructions that would have made
magic a much less mysterious process. I struggled to
understand the complicated instructions in the old-
fashioned textbooks I was given at school.
Back at home, I was at the mercy of my older sisters
mischievous attempts to give me the wrong incantation
for every spell I attempted. Hand-me-down robes are
merely embarrassing, hand-me-down spells can be
dangerous.
When I grew up, I quickly realised that the help I
had craved simply did not exist and so I created the
book you are holding now: the Book of Spells. I could
not be prouder that this simple school textbook is now
being used in schools for magic all over the world and
has been translated into 72 languages including
Gobbledygook and Mermish.
I also had a few special editions printed for my dear
sisters, which unfortunately contained a few misprints
that led to quite a few comical mishaps! But Romildas

vii
tail has vanished now and we're all friends again.
The Book of Spells will enable you to perform a
range of basic and not-so-basic spells that will enhance,
protect and enliven your life.
At the end of each chapter, you will find a
CONUNDRUM, a little poem with a hidden message
concerning those characteristics and habits that make
witches and wizards truly great. Each conundrum tells
the story of a witch or wizard who did not possess the
necessary traits, and paid the price... (names have been
changed to protect the inadequate).
The solution to all the conundrums can be found
when you have mastered every spell in this book (but
by that time, you may not need the solution at all).
Good luck, stay safe and make good magic!

Miranda Goshawk

viii
 CHAPTER 1

I n this chapter well learn four spells ideal for

developing your wand skills. Each new spell is sure
to be useful throughout your wizarding career,
whether youre making objects fly, or lighting your way
in dark places.

LEVITATION CHARM
The Levitation Charm is one of the first spells learnt by
any young witch or wizard. With the charm a witch or
wizard can make things fly with the flick of a wand. The
charm is an excellent test of your magical skill, wand
control and above all, patience.
The Levitation Charm was invented in 1544 by
warlock Jarleth Hobart, who mistakenly believed that
he had at last succeeded in doing what wizardkind had
so far failed to do, and learnt to fly.
Hobart invited a large crowd of wizards, including
the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, to witness his
maiden flight. On the 16th of July 1544, Hobart
climbed onto the roof of the local church and, after
several speeches and a rousing performance of the

1
national anthem, leapt into mid-air.
At first, Hobart appeared to have succeeded. He
hung in mid-air for nearly three minutes, until the
crowd grew impatient to see him move somewhere. In
response to their catcalls, Hobart began to perform
vigorous swimming movements which had no effect.
Mistakenly believing that he was being hampered by his
heavy boots and robes, he took them off and tossed
them away. Upon removal of these items, Hobart
dropped ten feet, and it became painfully clear to those
watching from below that, far from weighing him
down, they had been helping to keep him airborne.
Infuriated by the increasing laughter of the
onlookers, Hobart continued to strip, until finally, on
removal of his underpants, he plummeted to the earth
completely naked, breaking sixteen bones and earning
himself a fine for what the Chief Warlock described as
outrageous silliness.
Humiliated, Hobart returned home and continued
his work. He eventually realised that he had invented a
spell that would lift objects into the air and could cause
them to hover for varying lengths of time, depending
on their weight, and the skill of the spellcaster. Small
animals and even children might be levitated, but once
airborne, they had no control over their direction of

2
movement.
Hobart consequently made a second announcement,
and another, even larger crowd, assembled to watch his
new demonstration, hoping for another hearty laugh at
his expense.
The new demonstration was initially much more
successful than the first. Hobart showed the onlookers
how he could lift a variety of objects ranging from small
rocks all the way up to fallen trees. Unfortunately, the
cheers of the crowd went to Hobarts head and he
decided, for a finale, to Levitate the Chiefs hat. It was
only then that he, and indeed the crowd, realised that
the Chief wore a wig. Hobart only survived the
resulting duel by Levitating the Chiefs robes over his
head and running for it.

Incantation
The magic words for the Levitation Charm are
Wingardium Leviosa. Be sure to make the gar nice
and long.

Gesture
This spell is all in the wrist. Keep your wand hand loose
and perform a nice, smooth swish and flick movement
(see Fig. A).

3
 Fig. A

Notes
There are many variations of this spell the Hover
Charm, the Rocket Charm and the Floating Charm, to
name but a few, but this remains the original and best.
This charm ought not to be seen as a joke spell. It
can be most useful in duels and can lift physical
obstacles, and can even Levitate small creatures (though
this is likely to confuse any poor animal and is certainly
not to be encouraged).

4
WATER-MAKING SPELL
The Water-Making Spell conjures clean, drinkable water
from the end of the wand. Thus, with the Water-
Making Spell the trained wizard is never without a
source of water, whether theyre refilling their goblet at
dinner, or managing a minor eyebrow fire after a
carelessly-cast Fire-Making Spell.

Incantation
The incantation for conjuring water is Aguamenti. Be
sure to say it clearly when casting the spell.

Fig. B

Gesture
Casting Aguamenti requires a smooth wave movement
from left to right with your wand (see Fig. B).

5
UNLOCKING CHARM
There are many ways to pass through locked doors in
the magical world (see the Fire-Making Spell, the
Gouging Spell and the Reductor Curse), where you
wish to enter or depart discreetly, however, the
Unlocking Charm is your best friend.
The famous Unlocking Charm was introduced to
Britain in the early 1600s by a wizard thief called Eldon
Elsrickle, who had fled from Britain to Africa, hoping
to escape punishment for a series of robberies.
Elsrickle sneaked back into the country, heavily
disguised and possessed of two treasures. The first was
a baby monster called a Nundu, a terrifying leopard-like
creature which, when full-grown, could devour whole
crowds of men in a single gulp. However, the cub could
be subdued with a simple Stunning Spell, and Elsrickle
intended to use it to guard his house when he was not
there.
Elsrickles second treasure was the charm that he
had learnt from an ancient African sorcerer:
Alohomora, otherwise known as the Unlocking
Charm, or The Thiefs Friend.
Elsrickle immediately resumed his career of villainy,
and no house in London, whether Muggle or wizard-
owned, was safe. Elsrickle was soon taking home

6
priceless jewels, paintings and antiques to the house
which was occupied by his Nundu.
Soon, the Spectral Thief of Old London Town was
making front page news in both the wizarding and
Muggle worlds. Nobody could understand how the
criminal was getting in and out of houses without
breaking windows or using ladders.
Once in a while, Elsrickle would be surprised in the
home of a fellow wizard. Whenever this happened, the
cunning fellow offered to trade his fabulous new charm
for his freedom. His deal was accepted so many times
that soon there were a great number of so-called
Spectral Thieves operating in the capital.
Elsrickle was confident that he would never be
burgled, however, because he made sure that everyone
knew he owned an ever-growing Nundu. He put it to
sleep each morning through the keyhole of his door,
before entering the house, and woke it up in the same
way when he left at night.
Then came the fateful day when Blagdon Blay, a
wizard who had been burgled 19 times in two weeks,
succeeded in inventing an Anti-Alohomora Charm. In a
single night, the wizarding doors of London were sealed
shut, and task-forces were dispatched to protect Muggle
houses, too.

7
 On the last day of his life, Elsrickle returned home
after being unable to commit a single burglary all night.
Tired, frustrated and angry, he completely forgot about
putting his Nundu to sleep through the keyhole before
he entered the house. The last word he ever spoke,
before being pounced upon and eaten was
Alohomora.

Fig. C

Incantation
To unlock doors with just a wave of the wand, speak
the incantation Alohomora.

8
Gesture
The spell requires a nice, sharp wand movement. Start
at the bottom and go up, then diagonally down and
then across (see Fig. C).

Notes
Prior to the discovery of the Unlocking Charm, the
most popular charm for the purpose was Portaberto!
which usually splintered the lock from the door, and
occasionally left a smoking hole where the key should
have been. Even this was a substantial improvement
over Open Sesame!, the previous most-popular spell,
which saw doors wrenched from their hinges and torn
into firewood.

9
WAND-LIGHTING CHARM
This charm will light the end of your wand, providing
illumination in darkness. The Wand-Lighting Charm is
simple, but requires concentration. Take great care not
to accidentally set your wand alight, as damage of this
kind can be permanent. If in any doubt about your
abilities you would do better to buy yourself a magic
lantern.

Incantation
The incantation to light ones wand is Lumos.

Gesture
The gesture for Lumos is a nice, smooth upwards loop
(see Fig. D).

Notes
The discovery that wands themselves could be lit
occurred relatively recently in wizarding history, at the
end of the 18th century. Among those who claimed to
have invented this revolutionary spell was the German
warlock Garvin Lgner, who insisted that he had
invented it as a side-effect of his discovery of Instant
Darkness Powder. It transpired, however, that not only
was Lgner lying about Lumos, his powder was only

10
useful for slightly dimming the lights.
The Wand-Lighting Charm was actually invented in
1772 by Levina Monkstanley. An accomplished witch
working in the Department of Mysteries, Levina
astonished her colleagues one day by lighting the tip of
her wand to search for a dropped quill in a dusty
corner. Prior to Levinas discovery, all manner of
magical lanterns, candles and light-creation spells had
been used with varying degrees of success, to penetrate
darkness both natural and curse-related.

Fig. D

11
CONUNDRUM 1
The Tale of a Lazy Little Witch

When little Isadora Rose

(A sweet young witch that button nose!)

Was bought a wand, she thought it grand;

It shone so brightly in her hand!

Now heres an end to all my woes!

The charming girl told friends and foes.

Ill never, ever need to work!

(In truth, shed always liked to shirk).

If anybody makes me cross,

My wand will show them who is boss,

And if they go and treat me worse

Ill fix them with a single curse!

And everything I want Ill get

With this, my darling little pet!

With that, she waved her brand new wand

And turned her black hair brassy blonde.

12
But as the days and weeks went by
That lazy girl refused to try

To master new spells; truth to tell

She didnt do the old ones well:

Her hair turned blonde but then fell out

Her curses never had much clout

Her wand began to wilt, poor thing,

As boredom took away its zing.

And naturally she blamed the wand

And threw it in the old duck pond

But you know better, you can see

What caused her mediocrity.

What must you do, which she did not?

What must you do, and do a lot?

Answer this, and do it loads

Or I will turn you all to toads.

13
14
 CHAPTER 2

I ts time to move on to more complex magic. In

this chapter we will cover a range of challenging
and at times dangerous new spells. Keep your
wits about you in this chapter, and soon youll master
new magical skills, from revealing invisible ink, or
conjuring flocks of birds from your wand, to the art of
magical fire-making.

FIRE-MAKING SPELL
From lighting a warm hearth to igniting a Christmas
pudding, the Fire-Making Spell is always useful around
the wizarding household.
Spectacular though it is, students are warned that
irresponsible use of the Fire-Making Spell can have
serious consequences.
Take one ill-fated performance of Malecrits classic
wizarding play Alas, I have Transfigured my Feet.
History does not record the names of the actors, which
is perhaps for the best, since by halfway through the
first act the audience had taken to throwing pumpkins.
Undeterred, the actor playing Crapaud began the

15
famous foot-transfiguration scene. By this time, the
special effects wizard hidden under the stage was
apparently as bored as the audience, and decided to
replace the traditional puff of yellow smoke with a huge
eruption of fire. The audience were suitably impressed,
and their cheering only increased when the curtains
caught alight, and the effects wizard began vainly trying
to put out the flames, while dodging hexes from the
plays Director.
With the rest of the cast fleeing in panic, the actor
playing Crapaud took this as his moment to shine.
Casting a Flame-Freezing Charm, he began the plays
rousing final speech, protected from the fire now
engulfing the stage. Unfortunately, his no doubt stirring
delivery was lost in the confusion as the audience
abandoned the theatre, and the ill-prepared effects
wizard tried desperately to remember the Flame-
Freezing Charm for himself.
Show-off young students should take heed: cast your
Fire-Making Spell with care.

Incantation
The incantation to produce fire from your wand is
Incendio.

16
Gesture
The Fire-Making Spell uses three movements: A
straight line to the right, then diagonally down and left,
then right again (see Fig. E).

Fig. E

17
BIRD-CONJURING CHARM
The Bird-Conjuring Charm conjures a small flock of
birds from the end of the wand. It is important to
remember that your conjured creatures are not real
animals. The more accomplished you become at the
spells that create them, the more real the animals will
appear, but you will be disappointed if you try to keep
your creations as pets. They are mere phantoms of your
own making.

Fig. F

Incantation
To conjure birds from thin air, you must learn the
correct incantation: Avis.

18
Gesture
The Bird-Conjuring Charm calls for two smooth bumps
from left to right with your wand (see Fig. F).

Notes
Of course, creating any living creature out of thin air is
immensely difficult. This spellbook is concerned with
practical instruction, and not with theory; but your
teacher will be able to explain the Principle of
Artificianimate Quasi-Dominance, which will help you
understand some of the many things that can go wrong
when attempting to conjure animals from nothing.
Severed heads, unidentifiable stumps, terrifying frog-
rabbit mutations all have been created, to the dismay
of those who made them (and the horror of those who
found them hidden under cushions).
However, for reasons that are still not fully
understood (research continues in the Dept. of
Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic) two categories of
creature are much easier to create from nothing than
any other: birds and snakes.

19
REVEALING CHARM
The Revealing Charm will reveal invisible ink and
messages hidden by magical means. This spell is able to
overcome most basic concealment charms, so be
warned: any plans for mischief hidden with invisible ink
can easily be uncovered by wizarding parents and
teachers alike.
Many magical researchers use invisible ink to hide
their work from rivals, so the Revealing Charm is
essential to serious scholars. Famed arithmancer Bridget
Wenlock was so protective of her discoveries that she
wrote exclusively in invisible ink, not to mention
writing upside down, back-to-front and in atrocious
handwriting.
Wenlock was famous for her absent-mindedness as
well as her paranoia, and would often jot notes in
invisible ink on scraps of paper before promptly losing
them. She could frequently be seen retracting her steps
through her hometown of Tinworth, attempting to use
the Revealing Charm on every scrap of paper she came
across in search of a lost arithmancy calculation.
Wenlock first scribbled down her ground-breaking
theorem on the magical properties of the number seven
at breakfast one day, apparently on the back of an
envelope, using her usual invisible ink. She then

20
proceeded to send her cousin a letter, using what she
later believed to be the very envelope concealing the
theorem.
Soon realising her mistake, Wenlock seized her
broom and managed to overtake the owl carrying the
letter in mid-flight. The pair engaged in a fierce mid-air
tussle as Wenlock tried to recover the envelope (Post
office owls take mail-tampering very seriously and will
refuse to give up their deliveries to anyone but the
addressee).
After suffering several nips and scratches, Wenlock
resorted to following the owl to her cousins house in
John OGroats. But after finally retrieving the envelope
from her bemused cousin, her Revealing Charm
revealed nothing but a cake recipe which she had jotted
down that morning. She later found the real calculation,
scrawled on a sugar packet, still sitting on her kitchen
table.

Incantation
The incantation to magically reveal hidden writing or
markings is Aparecium.

Gesture
The wand gesture for the Revealing Charm is a loop

21
and cross. Loop your wand from right to left and back
again (see Fig. G).

Fig. G

22
ENGORGEMENT & SHRINKING CHARMS
These straightforward but surprisingly dangerous
charms cause certain things to swell or shrink. You will
be learning both charms together, so that you can
always undo an over-enthusiastic cast. There is thus no
excuse for having accidentally shrunk your homework
down to microscopic size, or for allowing a giant toad
to rampage through your schools flowerbeds.

Fig. H

23
Incantation
The incantation to make things grow is Engorgio. To
magically shrink things speak the incantation Reducio.

Gesture
To make things swell, draw an arrow shape pointing up.
Making things shrink uses a wand gesture pointing
down (see Fig. H).

24
CONUNDRUM 2
The Sorry Story of Distractible Douglas

His letter came from Hogwarts and, oh,

Douglas was so pleased!
He would have read the whole thing, but a boil needed squeezed.

He would have packed his trunk himself,

but thought hed seen a fly
Doing loops and backwards flip-flops (it wasnt, but nice try).

He liked the thought of lessons, yes, but Douglas didnt see

Why you had to pay attention and not try to jinx your knee

And tentacles were funny, in a tickly kind of way,

So why the teachers roared at him, he really couldnt say.

It was pay attention, Douglas every single place he went

But Douglas didnt want to, and so letters home were sent

And his father wrote him strictly, saying:

Douglas, now be warned!
You must finish things you
Douglas put the letter down and yawned.

25
Douglas liked to be distracted,
because he found it much more fun
His homework was abandoned
and his spells and charms half done,

He never really noticed just how far hed slipped behind

But then someone dared poor Douglas to perform a jinx
(not kind).

It went so badly wrong that it is nicer not to dwell

On Dougies second nose, or on the mess, or on the smell

And nobody could ever say how Douglas came to be

Entrapped inside that drainpipe, with a teacup for a knee.

What was it that he didnt want to do, the silly lad?

Answer me, and do it, and youll make your teachers glad.

26
 CHAPTER 3

S uperb wand skills, a talent for incantations or a

flair for potions all these are nothing if you
cannot apply yourself. This chapter contains
spells allowing you to magically mend, to vanish messes
and most importantly, to protect yourself. Persevere
with these new spells until you know them back-to-
front (but remember that actually saying spells back-to-
front can have quite unpleasant consequences).

GOUGING SPELL
The Gouging Spell enables a witch or wizard to carve
through earth and stone with ease. From budding
Herbologists digging for Snargaluff seedlings to
treasure-hunting curse breakers uncovering ancient
wizard tombs, the Gouging Spell makes all manner of
heavy labour a matter of pointing a wand.

Incantation
Cast the Gouging Spell with the incantation Defodio.

27
Gesture
To cast the Gouging Spell, move your wand straight
down, then left, then down again (see Fig. I).

Fig. I

28
DOUBLING CHARM
The Doubling Charm (or Gemino Curse, as it is often
known) was famously discovered by twin witches:
Helixa and Syna Hyslop. After this somewhat eccentric
and reclusive pair died, relatives realised the mansion in
which they had lived all their lives contained identical
copies of literally everything inside, down to the pair of
handwritten instructions for the spell left side by side
on matching kitchen tables.
The Doubling Charm has caused trouble from its
discovery. Many disputes have arisen around the
question of whether a copy created by the Gemino
Curse is of equal value to its pair. As the two are
identical at first it is impossible to know, although the
copy usually rots or tarnishes much more quickly.
One unfortunate quirk of this spell, which has never
been successfully overcome, is that nobody can halt it
but the original spell-caster. If, for whatever reason, he
or she is interrupted, the object will continue to
multiply for hours or even days until the copies start to
degrade.

29
MENDING CHARM
The Mending Charm will repair broken objects with a
flick of the wand. Accidents do happen, so it is essential
to know how to mend our errors. However, clumsier
students should remember that mastery of this charm is
no substitute for learning not to break things in the first
place.
Many repairing and mending charms have been used
over the centuries, but the most effective and powerful
was invented by Orabella Nuttley in the eighteenth
century.
A lowly clerk in the Ministry of Magic, Improper
Use of Magic Department, Orabellas extreme shyness
had hampered her in her career. Mousey, almost mute
in meetings, and becoming extremely flustered when
spoken to, Orabella was given the most mundane tasks
at the office, such as filing, dusting and cleaning out the
department owls.
At home, however, Orabella spent all her free time
experimenting with spells, attempting to improve and
strengthen the charms of her youth. A freak chance led
to the revelation of Orabellas hidden talents.
In 1754, two of Europes most celebrated broom
fliers sworn enemies Torquil MacTavish, of Scotland,
and Silvio Astolfi, of Italy agreed to a public broom

30
race from Aberdeen to Rome. The contest would take
place overnight, to avoid the attention of Muggles, and
representatives of the governments of both men would
gather at the finishing line for what looked likely to be a
spectacular contest. Orabella was invited along to
oversee the luggage and arrange the Portkeys.
The climax of the race was just as exciting as
foreseen, but not for the reasons predicted.
At close to daybreak, Astolfi and MacTavish
appeared over the horizon, heading towards the
Coliseum. It was at this point that a fight broke out
among excitable supporters of both wizards. Precisely
what happened is hotly contested to this day, but a large
explosion ensued, and when the smoke cleaned, Silvio
Astolfi had been turned into a chicken, Torquil
MacTavishs knees were on back to front, and the
Coliseum lay in ruins.
For a few horrific minutes, it appeared that the
assembled crowd had witnessed the greatest breach of
the International Statute of Secrecy ever known. Not
only were they at a loss to know how to repair such
massive damage, but the sound of the explosion had
already woken half of Rome.
It was then that Orabella Nuttley came quietly
forwards and, with a few waves of her wand,

31
reconstructed several columns with the use of her own
Repairing Charm. Stunned at its efficacy, the
governmental Ministers begged her to teach them how
to use the new spell, and by the time the first anxious
Muggles had dressed and rushed to the scene, they
found nothing but the Coliseum in exactly the state
they had last seen it, and a few oddly dressed men
trying to soothe a distressed chicken.
Orabella received the Order of Merlin, First Class,
and her Mending Charm has been in widespread use
ever since.

Fig. J

Incantation
The incantation for the Mending Charm is Reparo.

32
Gesture
To cast Reparo, move your wand in a square, beginning
from the bottom left (see Fig. J).

Notes
This simple repairing charm will work on most
materials, although certain kinds of damage (caused by
rare and powerful curses) are immune to its effects.
Please note that the Mending Charm must NEVER
be used on humans or animals. Extreme scarring may
result from attempts to heal wounds with this spell,
which is suitable only for inanimate objects.

33
SCOURING CHARM
From pumpkin juice stains to gobbets of frog guts to
baked-on dragon dung, a good Scouring Charm will
vanish them all.

Incantation
To vanish unsightly messes with the wave of a wand,
use the incantation Scourgify.

Fig. K

Gesture
The wand movement for Scourgify is a smooth, sinuous
motion, like a letter S (see Fig. K).

34
Notes
If you were brought up in a wizarding family with
House-Elves, then you may feel that using your magic
to clean up after yourself is in some way beneath you.
But rest assured, the first time you need to get a
Stinksap stain out of a school tie without your House-
Elf there to help you, you will be grateful you learnt the
Scouring Charm.

35
BAT-BOGEY HEX
I must confess to a particular fondness for this spell, as
it is my own creation. Controversial though it may be to
include jinxes in a school text book, I maintain that
attacking spells of a mild nature, such as this, remove
the temptation for young students to seek out and
practise much more dangerous curses to settle school-
yard fights.
As I explain in my foreword to this book, I grew up
in a very large family, and as the youngest member it
was sometimes difficult to put my point across
effectively. However, when a persons bogies turn into
black bats, which crawl out of their nostrils and flap
away, you can generally count on them shutting up long
enough to let you talk, for a change.
I credit my mastery of this hex for persuading my
sister Diadema to give back the clothes she had
borrowed from me, for reminding my sister Romilda to
keep out of my room when I wanted piece, and for
helping my sister Tangwystl to be quiet when I was
trying to do my homework.

36
SHIELD CHARM
The most basic of duelling spells, the Shield Charm
protects the caster from most offensive spells.
This spell is little use without quick reflexes to
match, and the best way to learn is to practise deflecting
real hexes. After all, being struck with a Twitchy-Ears
Hex or Jelly-Legs Jinx has a wonderful way of focusing
the mind on learning to defend itself.
There are many different protective spells, but for
everyday use, this is the most reliable. Its most famous
use was in 1484, during a Jousting Tournament in the
village of Poppleton, England.
Poppleton was overlooked by a castle owned by the
Earl of Paunchley. The Earl was a tyrannical bully who
made the lives of villagers miserable. He doled out
dreadful punishments for the slightest misdeeds:
children caught eating an apple fallen from one of his
trees would be beaten, young women who did not
curtsey low enough when he passed were forced into
service at the castle, men who complained, or stood up
to the Earl, had been dragged away and never seen
again.
One day, the Earl held a jousting tournament in the
grounds of his castle, which was to be attended by
nobles from miles around. He let it be known that the

37
whole village was to come and watch and cheer him on
against the other competitors, and that no excuse would
be accepted.
An hour before the competition started, a young boy
called Edmund Gaddlegate, whom the Earl had
instructed to put up banners and pennants, fell out of a
tall tree in the castle grounds and broke his leg. His
mother sent word that Edmund would not be able to
attend the competition, and put him to bed.
Four burly servants of the Earl appeared at her door
shortly afterwards and dragged her and her son up to
the castle. Here, the Earl informed her that, as
punishment for her rudeness, she would watch while
her son was tied to a horse and forced to compete
against him and the various Knights who had
assembled to compete. However, when the other
competitors saw that the Earl expected them to fight a
small, injured boy, they left the tournament in disgust.
Humiliated and furious, the cruel Earl announced
that if nobody else would do it, he would fight Edmund
himself.
It was at this point that a witch in the crowd one
Hannah Cockleford decided that the time had come
to teach the Earl a lesson. As he galloped flat out
towards the boy, with his spear pointing at Edmunds

38
chest, she cast the strongest Shield Charm of her life
between the Earl and Edmund. The Earl and his horse
slammed into Hannahs invisible Shield and were
knocked backwards; the horse landed on the Earl, who
was squashed flat inside his armour.
For several glorious moments, the crowd believed
that the Earl was dead. Their disappointment was great
when he began to move again, but turned to joy almost
at once: when the Earl regained consciousness, and
forever afterwards, he believed that he was a donkey
called Hairy Cyril.
Hannah Cockleford, stepping in to protect innocent
Muggles; a real role model for any young witch or
wizard.

Fig. L

39
Incantation
The incantation for the Shield Charm is Protego.
Learn to say it quickly and clearly.

Gesture
The wand movement to cast the Shield Charm is a
short upwards move (see Fig. L).

40
CONUNDRUM 3
The Ballad of Angry Angus McMangus

Oh, Angus McMangus, you should have been great!

With talents aplenty success on a plate!

We all thought youd garner great grades quite securely

But Angus McMangus, your spells turned out poorly.

I first heard you roar on the day we did Charms

Your shouting put everyone into alarms

I cant its a joke this whole class is a flop!

Your fist crashing down made experiments stop.

Again and again, with just ten minutes gone

Of each class you would blow up no, everythings wrong!

I cant be expected to work in this way!

And youd throw half-made jiggers and potions away.

Calmly! said teachers, and just give it time!

But Angus McMangus thinks waitings a crime.

If he cant do it straight away, or double-quick,

Hell snatch up his wand and crack one broken stick.

41
It ought to be done now! Ive tried once already!
In vain did your teachers cry, Steady, now, steady!

So Angus McMangus, its you I must blame

Its all your own fault that you didnt win fame.

Now answer me, students, what did Angus lack?

What didnt he do, which will keep YOU on track?

42
 CHAPTER 4

I n this chapter we will learn spells which used

wisely will give you an edge over other wizards.
Keep your wandwork sharp and youll soon pick
up new skills, from stopping enemies in their tracks
with a jinx to magically Summoning objects.
Youll have to be crafty as well as clever if you want
to find the next conundrum and find out what makes
good wizards into great ones.

SUMMONING CHARM
The Summoning Charm is one of the oldest and one of
the most useful you will ever learn. The charm allows
wizards to bring objects zooming towards them with
the wave of a wand.
Most magical objects are now sold carrying anti-theft
devices that will prevent them being Summoned by any
but their owner.
The Summoning Charm might seem a very
straightforward spell, but its dangers were proven by a
band of extremist anti-Muggle wizards, who
announced, in 1743, that they had declared war on

43
Muggle ways and Muggle behaviour. Calling
themselves the Accionites, their stated aim was to live
in a manner beyond the petty concerns of Muggles.
Their leader was a wizard called Gideon Flatworthy,
whom the Daily Prophet famously called less a wizard,
more a stupid, lazy walrus-like object who lies all day on
a rather smelly cushion, and expects people to admire
him for it.
Gideon Flatworthy decreed that the Accionites, as
their names suggested, ought never to fetch, lift or
carry, for wizards are not, like lowly Muggles, beasts of
burden, but nobler, finer and higher beings and that
everything they required ought to be Summoned by
magic.
Unfortunately, the Accionites ran into trouble
almost immediately. Refusing to do anything as
mundane and energetic as visit Gringotts Bank, they
swiftly ran out of money.
Flatworthy did not believe in working, and declared
that the only dignified thing to do was to Accio more
gold. This he attempted to do by pointing his wand in
the direction of a nearby goblin workshop. In one
sense, his plan worked. Several exquisite pieces of
goblin jewellery (as yet unfinished, so without anti-theft

44
charms upon them) came soaring in through the
windows of the Accionites headquarters.
The idiotic Flatworthy was still trying to fathom how
he might sell his stolen treasures without leaving his
cushion, when a horde of angry goblin goldsmiths
arrived on the doorstep, armed with swords and baying
for the Accionites blood. Flatworthy and his
companions Disapparated at once, and re-established
themselves in a dark basement.
Aware that they were still being hunted down by
fearsome goblins, and growing both hungry and thirsty,
Flatworthy attempted to summon both food and drink
to their basement lair. Naturally, the sight of cakes and
wine flying along the streets towards the Accionites
hideout immediately alerted their goblin pursuers to
their whereabouts, and they were forced to Disapparate
again, this time to a remote cave in Pembrokeshire.
By this time, most of the Accionites were becoming
disillusioned by Flatworthys leadership, and most of
them decided that they would rather lower themselves
to do some Muggle-like things like shopping, working
and carrying groceries, rather than starve in a cave.
Finally, Flatworthy found himself alone, light-headed
with hunger, cold and miserable but still refusing to
admit that he was wrong.

45
 Experts still debate what precisely led to his final,
foolish act. Most agree that he had probably become
delirious through lack of food, although some think
that he was determined to die as he had lived. All we
know is that, on the eighteenth of September, 1743,
Flatworthy attempted to Summon himself an entire
farm complete with livestock, cosy cottage and well-
stocked larder. Naturally, the buildings would not shift,
but the furious farmer followed his flying cows to the
cave on the hill, and discovered Flatworthy, still lying
on his cushions, but crushed to death beneath a pile of
hay bales and cattle.

Incantation
To Summon an object, picture the object clearly in your
mind and say Accio.

Gesture
To Summon an object, make a bump from right to left
with your wand (see Fig. M).

Notes
Once you have mastered this charm, you have the
ability to Summon any object of which you have need
(providing, of course, that you respect the International

46
Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, since no object should be
Summoned if it is likely to whizz under the nose of a
Muggle).
The Summoning Charm is ineffective on most living
creatures, and those that can be Summoned are rarely
worth Summoning (such as Flobberworms).

Fig. M

47
SEVERING CHARM
With the Severing Charm, cutting or tearing objects is a
simple matter of wand control. The spell can be quite
precise in skilled hands, and the Severing Charm is
widely used in a variety of wizarding trades.
Useful as it is, this charm should be practised with
caution, as a careless swipe of the wand can easily cause
injury.
The Severing Charm was created in the fifteenth
century by wizarding seamstress Delfina Crimp, who
created it as an easy and convenient way of cutting
cloth and thread. Prior to the invention of this neat,
precise spell, wizards were apt to burn or shred
anything they wished to cut. However, while Madam
Crimps invention benefited her work, it nearly cost her
her life.
Witches and wizards were subject to persecution in
the fifteenth century, so Madam Crimp, who had
become one of the most fashionable dressmakers in
London, preferred to pretend that she had no magical
powers. Unfortunately, the great beauty of her dresses
and cloaks aroused considerable envy among other
tailors, many of whom were convinced that she knew
some secret that they did not. Even the ugliest women

48
seemed to look beautiful in her clothes, and she grew
richer and more successful every day.
A rival Muggle tailor, by the name of Snickerton,
disguised himself and applied for a post in Madam
Crimps shop. After several weeks, he could find no
evidence of magic except for the fact that there were no
scissors in Madam Crimps workroom. At last, by
wrapping himself up in a bolt of velvet and keeping
watch by night, he observed Madam Crimp cutting out
an intricate pattern with the use of her wand.
The following day Snickerton led a band of men to
arrest the accused witch. Cornered at her shop, she was
unable to explain why she owned no scissors.
Snickerton insisted that her hands should be tightly
bound to stop her cursing them all and set about
searching for the wand he swore he had seen her using.
After several hours, however, he had found nothing
suspicious, and his friends were starting to doubt him.
At last, Madam Crimp asked whether she might at
least be unbound to scratch her chin, on which there
was a large wart. Unable to see the harm in this, her
foolish accusers agreed.
The moment Madam Crimp touched the wart, it
sprang out of her face, revealing itself as her concealed
wand. She promptly Disapparated along with a large

49
bag of gold, and was never seen in London again.
However, from that moment onwards, Snickerton
the tailor was unable to produce any item of clothing,
no matter how securely he locked it up overnight,
without finding it shredded to ribbons every morning.
Legend has it that he died insane, convinced that he
was being followed everywhere by a giant pair of
invisible scissors.
The lesson here being, never come between a skilled
witch and her livelihood

Fig. N

Incantation
The incantation for the Severing Charm is Diffindo.
Use it with care!

50
Gesture
The Severing Charm requires a jagged, cutting motion
with the wand. Go up, then slash down and right, then
up again (see Fig. N).

51
IMPEDIMENT JINX
Swift use of this jinx can freeze an attacker for a few
moments, or stop a magical beast in its tracks. The jinx
is a vital part of any duellists arsenal.
Being frozen with the jinx does no permanent harm,
though if youre caught in an awkward position it can
become quite uncomfortable.

Incantation
The incantation to freeze your enemies is
Impedimenta!

Fig. O

Gesture
To freeze your enemies, perform a straight slash to the
left. Handy in the heat of battle (see Fig. O).

52
HARDENING CHARM
The Hardening Charm will turn an object into solid
stone. This can be surprisingly handy in a tight spot.
Of course, most students only ever seem to use this
spell to sabotage their fellow students schoolbags, or to
turn a pumpkin pasty to stone just before someone
bites into it. It is unwise to try this unworthy trick on
any of your teachers.

Fig. P

Incantation
Cast the Hardening Charm with the incantation Duro.

Gesture
To cast Duro first start at the bottom and go straight
up, then curve round and down (see Fig. P).

53
CONUNDRUM 4
The Rhyme of Gormless Morgan

There was a young wizard called Morgan

Whose boss said: Go capture the Gorgon!
The creatures so vile
That it might take a while,
Use your brain! Its a most useful organ.

The Gorgon was fearsome and clever

(Two things that poor Morgan was never).
By staring alone
She could turn men to stone
So theyd have to be statues forever.

Morgs friends told him: Think out a plan, first!

But of all things, he hated to think worst.
Dont make such a fuss
Ill just take a truss
And trap her before I can be cursed!

He tried sneaking up from behind her,

But here is a little reminder:
The mirror was made
As a rear-viewing aid
Thus the Gorgon watched Morgan come find her.

54
They stared in the glass, fiend and Morgan
Four eyes met (of man and of Gorgon):
With no time to moan
Morg was turned into stone
And he never came back; he was forgone.

What was the Gorgon, which Morgan was not?

What traits did she have (while he was a clot)?
What ought you to be, if you would survive?
What qualities help you in staying alive?

55
56
 CHAPTER 5

T
his final chapter covers powerful duelling spells.
There are those who believe that magical
duelling should not be taught to young witches
and wizards. However, it is an unfortunate fact that the
wizarding world is a dangerous place.
The spells in this chapter will allow you to counter
some of the dangers you might face, allowing you to
destroy obstacles and Disarm hostile wizards, and
finally, you will learn a powerful protective charm
which will require all of the magical skill you have learnt
so far.
Youre close now to proving yourself an
accomplished witch or wizard in your own right. Steady
nerves will see you through.

DISARMING CHARM
The Disarming Charm will cause an opponents wand,
or in fact any item that they are holding, to fly out of
their hand.
Historians disagree about the origins of this Charm.
Some claim that it was invented by Merlin himself,

57
others that it was in widespread use in Madagascar as
early as the eleventh century.
In the opinion of the author of this book, the most
likely originator of the Disarming Charm was a young
witch called Elizabeth Smudgling, who entered a
duelling contest on Dartmoor in 1379. Contestants had
come from all over Europe to compete in the contest,
which was held at night, far away from curious
Muggles.
According to contemporary accounts, the duelling
was of a standard that few had ever seen before, and
finally only four competitors remained: three wizards,
and the English witch, Elizabeth Smudgling.
The judges of the competition warlocks and
sorcerers of several nations made speeches to the
final four contestants before the last three duels were to
start. Think big! they cried. Think bigger than you
have ever thought before! Let us see, this night, magic
on such a scale that future generations will envy us for
having witnessed such greatness!
The first semi-finalists then moved out in front of
the crowd. Mindful of the advice to think big, the first
wizard transformed himself on the spot into a bull, and
charged the second, who it seemed would be killed; but
thinking quickly, he changed himself into a viper, which

58
bit the bull on the leg and sent it crashing to the ground
in agony.
The second wizard then took on the third. He
caused a great storm cloud to descend from the sky,
and his opponent was drenched in icy rain and forced
to dodge lightning bolts, until he had the clever idea of
summoning a powerful cyclone, which blew away the
storm, but took with it the judges, and most of the
crowd and many trees.
It took a few hours for everyone to reassemble.
Everyone was now a little afraid of what the third
wizard might do for an encore, and the judges earnestly
tried to dissuade Elizabeth Smudgling from fighting
him, and told her it might be easier if they simply
awarded him the cup without anybody else getting hurt.
Elizabeth, however, refused.
On the count of three, the wizard opened his mouth
wide to utter a long and complex incantation that would
(if he had finished it) have caused a mountain to erupt
out of the earth and collapse on Elizabeths head. The
only problem was that she had already said a quiet
Expelliarmus, and removed at once the source of all
his power.
Elizabeth was awarded the title of Supreme Dueller,
and the Disarming Charm at once became one of the

59
most important in any duellers armoury.

Incantation
The incantation for the Disarming Charm is
Expelliarmus. Speak it clearly, and use it wisely.

Gesture
The wand movement to disarm is a quick, straight wand
move to the right, ideal for reacting quickly in a battle
(see Fig. Q).

Fig. Q

Notes
The Disarming Charm is central to formal wizard
duelling, where Disarming ones opponent is
considered an honourable victory.
Unfortunately, real duels are rarely honourable.
Hostile or Dark wizards will certainly use every unfair
tactic against you (and this is to say nothing of your
fellow students).

60
REDUCTOR CURSE
With this powerful curse, skilled wizards can easily
reduce obstacles to pieces.
For obvious reasons great care must be exercised
when learning and practising this spell, lest you find
yourself sweeping up in detention, for it is all too easy
to bring your classroom ceiling crashing down, or to
reduce your teachers desk to a fine mist.

Fig. R

Incantation
The incantation Reducto will give you the power to
blast solid objects out of your path.

61
Gesture
The Reductor Curse requires two sharp slashes
downwards; to the right, then to the left (see Fig. R).

62
STUNNING SPELL
The Stunning Spell is invaluable in duelling, knocking
out anyone it strikes.
The spell is commonly used by dragon-handlers and
other magizoologists to handle dangerous creatures,
and by the Aurors, Dark wizard-hunters for the
Ministry of Magic.

Incantation
The incantation Stupefy gives you the power to Stun
your opponent. Use it responsibly.

Fig. S

Gesture
The Stunning Spell is a sharp slash directly
downwards with the wand (see Fig. S).

63
PATRONUS CHARM
This ancient and mysterious charm conjures a magical
guardian, a projection of all your most positive feelings.
The Patronus Charm is difficult, and many witches
and wizards are unable to produce a full, corporeal
Patronus, a guardian which generally takes the shape of
the animal with whom they share the deepest affinity.
You may suspect, but you will never truly know
what form your Patronus will take until you succeed in
conjuring it. The strange power of the Patronus, and its
peculiar qualities, are well illustrated by the ancient story
of a shy, poor orphan boy called Illyius, whose
Patronus went down in wizarding history.
Illyius lived long ago in a mountain village, which
was surrounded by a dense forest in which a Dark
wizard called Raczidian lived in a black castle guarded
by Dementors. These evil, faceless, hooded creatures,
which cast fear and despondency all around them, such
the very souls from humans whom they succeed in
weakening.
For many years, Raczidian left the villagers, who
were fellow witches and wizards, in peace, and they
avoided the part of the forest where his castle was
situated. Knowing that Dementors roamed the forest,
they took care to teach every new generation the

64
Patronus Charm, the only spell that worked against
these evil creatures. Many were unable to master the
difficult spell, but there had always been just enough
Patronuses in the village to stand guard against the
Dementors, in case Raczidian ordered an attack.
When Illyius turned seventeen, the village elders
taught him, and his fellow young wizards, the spell.
Illyius, who was shy and tongue-tied, succeeded in
producing a Patronus, but to his shame, it took the
form of a mouse. Everyone roared with laughter,
because they had never seen such a small, weak
Patronus, and the elders advised the boy never to use
the spell again.
Shortly afterwards, a beautiful young village girl
called Eliana, whom Illyius had always been too shy to
talk to, caught the eye of Raczidian as she collected
berries in the forest. Raczidian had decided that she
would make him an excellent wife.
Raczidian sent a demand to Elianas parents, who
refused to let her marry him. Raczidian then threatened
the whole village, saying that he would lay siege to it,
and allow his Dementors to destroy all of them, unless
they sent Eliana to him. The village elders met, and
agreed to resist.
Eliana was sent to hide in the tiny shack where

65
Illyius lived alone, and he was told to stay there and
keep her company, because his Patronus was too weak
and feeble to help.
Wave upon wave of Dementors now attacked the
village. At first, the villagers lines of Patronuses (bears,
and wolves, and wild boar) held firm, but gradually the
sheer numbers of Dementors began to overwhelm
them. Slowly the Patronuses grew weak and faint, and
the witches and wizards casting them either collapsed
where they stood, or ran for their lives.
Do something! Eliana implored Illyius.
So he cast his Patronus, and the mouse shone like a
star as it darted nimbly through the fleeing crowds. Its
light was so powerful that, in spite of its tiny size, the
Dementors were halted.
Furious that something so small should thwart him,
Raczidian now joined the ranks of the Dementors
himself. Forgetting that only the pure of heart can
produce a Patronus, he tried to cast a guardian that
would shield him from Illyiuss mouse.
Only now was it discovered, for the first time, what
happens when an unworthy but skilful wizard attempts
the Patronus Charm. Maggots gushed from the end of
Raczidians wand. They crawled all over him, hiding
him from sight, and before the villagers horrified eyes,

66
he was devoured.
Illyius was acclaimed as a hero, married Eliana and
lived happily ever after, and from that time on, there
was no more highly-prized or admired Patronus in that
village that the deft and nimble mouse.

Incantation
Expecto Patronum. A powerful incantation, but
meaningless without great positive feeling behind it.

Fig. T

Gesture
To conjure a full, corporeal Patronus, focus your mind
as hard as you can on a single happy memory. Choose a
memory and hold it in your mind as you cast the spell.

67
Move your wand in a circle (see Fig. T). The Patronus
Charm will take focus and determination to master.

Notes
When performed correctly the Patronus Charm gives
the caster protection beyond any Shield Charm, and
enables them to resist even the terrible power of
creatures like Dementors.
It is clear from ancient woodcuts and scrolls that the
Patronus Charm has been in existence since earliest
times. Many attempts have been made over the
centuries to find an easier way to produce a Patronus,
or some similar shield against Dark magic, but none
have been successful. If you seek the best protection
magic can afford against evil creatures, your only choice
is to perfect the Patronus Charm.
Wizards and witches famous for their unusual
Patronuses include Hedley Fleetwood (Woolly
Mammoth: extinct Patronuses are exceptionally rare),
Andros the Invincible, the only wizard known to
produce a Patronus the size of a giant, and Symposia
Rawle (Ladybird: in spite of its miniscule size, this
Patronus was exceptionally powerful).

68
CONUNDRUM 5
The Miserable Ode of Quivering Quintus

I never saw a wizard quite the same

As Quintus Harcourt Ballyfumble Stranger
As famous for his most unusual name
As for the speed with which he fled from danger.

A bang, a flash, a grunt: each sudden noise

Would make him vanish, hide or run at speed.
He soon became a joke among the boys
For which among us likes a feeble weed?

Theres nothing wrong with nerves, when trouble starts,

Quins father told him kindly, we all know
The quaking of our simple human hearts
The feeling that our legs have turned to dough!

Yet feelings such as these, though very normal

Can still be overcome, Quin, dont lose hope!
But Quintus said, his manner cold and formal:
I wish you wouldnt treat me like a dope.

69
Why should I stand and fight when safety calls?
Whats more important than to save my neck?
If others wish to duel, I think them fools,
I have no wish to end a broken wreck.

So all the use his wand got, year on year,

Was shielding Quintus-Of-The-Silly-Name,
Until one day the wand came over queer
And wouldnt work (I think it died of shame).

The morals clear: what quality

Is worth more than timidity?
And without what are wizards lame,
Their spell-work poor, their magic tame?

70
 AFTERWORD
So did you guess, my faithful friend,
Whos worked so hard, from start to end,

What would have saved the dreadful five

Whose stories you have heard described?

Yes, PRACTICE, every single day

Will pave the gifted wizards way

To greater skill (but Izzy Rose

Was lazy, as her failure shows).

Now WIT and CONCENTRATION are

Essential if you would go far:

Naught but distraction rots your brain

(As seen by Douglas, in the drain).

No greatness comes without HARD WORK

(Which Angus didnt like, the berk)

And PATIENCE too, which will not quit

(As Angus did, the silly git).

71
When faced with monsters, fanged or furred,
No, CUNNINGs not a dirty word!

If youd avoid poor Morgans end

Then SHREWDNESS is your truest friend.

Above all: BRAVERY in danger

(Sorely lacked by Quintus Stranger)

Will lift you high in our esteem

We all want DARING on our team.

Each habit, trait and quality

Which Ive described so pithily

Is quite essential, if you wish

To be the best you can: now swish!

And flick! And wave! Pronounce the spell!

And make your magic work so well

That onlookers will rub their eyes:

Our admiration is your prize!

72
 MIRANDA GOSHAWKS BOOK OF SPELLS

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A WIZARDING CLASSIC FROM THE WORLD OF